Last we heard from Mobius Band they were in the midst of an escalating, electro-rocking “Subterranean Homesick Alien.” The first single from the Brooklyn trio’s forthcoming sophomore full-length Heaven is a much mellower, less echo-y affair. The boys have left tech-minded Ghostly International for an earthier Misra realm, but those key washes, the sampler chatter, and circuit bending are still in effect.
“Friends Like These” drifts with a kind of distracted sadness; it’s a breeze of blips and swirls shifted by a disco drum swell that’s just enough to get the last dance started. The one-sheet tells us one member’s father died before the band left on their first national tour, and that another’s longtime girlfriend ran off with a close friend. We wouldn’t be going out on a limb to guess this song’s at least partially a response to the latter … yup, don’t need friends like that. The disco flourish makes sense, too: No matter how shitty things get you’ll eventually need to dust yourself off, so why not cut a rug? Sure, Peter Sax sounds like he’d rather do a thousand things before booty shaking, but it’s that conflicted disconnect that makes the song affecting.
Heaven is out 10/2 on Misra.
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awesome track – thanks for posting. i’ve liked these guys for a long time, and this seems like a real step up.
this is the real deal right here. can’t wait for the record to come out!
Thanks so much for the post. We’re sharing Mobius Band with Ghostly International for this record (their logo is on the back of the CD beside ours), so the guys haven’t out and out left them (as exemplified by their tour with Matthew Dear). That said, we’re incredibly excited about this record and working with Mobius Band in general, as well as working with Ghostly International, who are absolute gentlemen and whom we’ve admired for some time.
Ben sounds an awful like Peter on this track. Factchecking Stereogum, factchecking! All you need to do is Google. Please don’t be as lousy with your facts as Pitchfork.
that is Peter singin. Fact-o. Good song, and there are more gems on the album. Wait for it
looks like stereogum changed the name – way to go internet community!
let’s get pitchfork to change ratings!
this song is the best thing i’ve heard in the gum mix in awhile.
mobius band is awesome! plus the drummer’s my cousin. buy all their shit!
I had the esteemed pleasure of hearing this song live about a good while back and it was amazing then as it is now. Waiting ever so patiently these next few days for the new album…good on you sterogum
lucky enough to hit the road with these guys this Winter … can’t WAIT to catch them live…
The Editors played a demo cut of this track on radio 1 in the uk months ago and i have been trying to find it ever since!!!! it takes my breath away.